Basque Nationalist Party

The Basque National Party (EAJ) is a conservative political party in the Basque Country of Spain, founded in 1895 by Sabino Arana. The party is the oldest and largest Basque nationalist political party, and the party led the Basque regional government from the 1980s until 2009. During the Spanish Civil War, the party was torn between supporting the pro-multiculturalism and leftist Frente Popular and the fascist Falange party, with most Basques fighting for the leftists against the fascists, while some sided with the Carlist Communion's militias. A Basque government-in-exile was established in France after Francisco Franco's fascist seizure of power, and the ETA separatist group broke off of the EAJ in order to wage a revolutioanry armed struggle for the Basque Country's independence. The EAJ's opposition to the ETA ensured that it could take part in the post-Franco democratic government, and became an important party in the Basque Country.